The Man I Love (The Fish Tales, #1)(139)

“I’m stunned,” he said. He looked back to the little scissors on his palm. He cleared his aching throat. “I’m really torn here. I’d like to ask for this back but I love you had it all this time.”

“It’s yours, it was a gift.”

“But you kept it with you. You needed it. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

She took a deep breath. “How about,” she said, her voice trembling, “you put it back in the doll and you’ll know where it is now. You’ll know it’s with me.”

“All right.” With some reluctance he put the scissors back inside the doll and twisted it closed. “I can’t believe you kept my lint,” he said.

“I loved you,” she said.

He looked at her. She looked back.

They stared.

It happened.

“I missed this,” he said.

“I missed it too.”

“But it’s still here. We can still do it.”

“It’s still here. And nobody else does it.”

He closed his eyes, gently letting the bubble break.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “We can go get some dinner.”

“A little. But I don’t feel like being in a crowd. I just want to sit somewhere quiet with you and talk.”

She nodded. “How about we go to my house and I’ll cook.”

“You will?”

“If you want.”

“I want.”

“I left my coat in the theater.”

She turned out the light and they walked through the dim corridors to the side door leading into the theater. There Daisy stopped short and Erik plowed into the back of her.

Will was sitting in the front row. Busy with notebook and papers, one ankle perched on the opposite knee. When he saw Erik, the pencil he had been twirling in one hand went flying over his shoulder.

They all stared.

Finally Daisy spoke. “You wouldn’t believe what Customs lets into Canada these days.”

Will shook his head. “You’re right. I wouldn’t.”

Erik put his hands on Daisy’s shoulders. “Give me five minutes?” he whispered.

She nodded, smiling. “Take ten. I’ll be back in my office.” And she slipped out the door they had come through.

Slowly Erik walked closer to where Will sat.

“So,” Will said. “Obviously you’ve come to suck my cock.”

“I have.”

“Finally. What took you so long?”

“I would’ve been here sooner but I ran into Dais on the street and…”

Will smiled. “She told me you called.”

“Finally.”

“Yeah, you are inexcusably late.”

“Am I too late?”

Will sighed and stretched his arms along the seat backs. He tilted his head and stared at the ceiling.

“Even if it is too late,” Erik said. “I gotta start owning this. What I did was wrong. And I’m sorry. I needed to come in person and say so.”

Will was still looking up, his lower jaw moving around. He closed his eyes. “If you don’t finish what you start this time,” he said. “If you disappear on her again, Fish, so help me God. I will kill you. I won’t just bruise you a little. I will bury you by the side of the road and piss on your grave.”

“It’s not lost on me how you picked up the pieces—”

“Bullshit,” Will said, standing up, his papers cascading to the floor. “You have no idea what it was like. For her or me.”

“You’re right, I don’t. Not yet. I didn’t come here just to make myself feel better and walk away again. I came to stand still and feel. Feel what I didn’t give Dais a chance to feel twelve years ago. Finish what I started.”

Will nodded, arms crossed over his chest, fingers working at the material of his shirt. Will didn’t fidget unless he was upset. Erik knew that. Knew it like he knew the sky was blue.

“I’m sorry,” Erik said.

“It hurt like hell, you know. Your fight with her was your fight with her but to throw me over the side…”

“I know. I ran like hell from everything. It was the only way I knew how to deal. Doesn’t make it right or excuse it, but I’m only just figuring out why I did it myself. It’s why I called her. It’s why I came here. I gotta own this. And I gotta feel it. You can bury your pain or avoid it. You can tattoo over it. But you won’t be free of it until you feel it. My own father never set my mom free. Never set me free. I came here to set Daisy free. I owe it to her. And I owe you at least one opportunity to punch me in the face and I won’t duck. Swing away.”

A smile began to curve up Will’s mouth. “Well, I’ll be f*cked,” he said.

“I’ve been f*cked for years. Be nice to have some company.”

Will shook his head, looking at the floor. “You’re killing me.”

“I’m sorry,” Erik said. He took the last few steps to close the gap and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’m really sorry, Will.”

Will muttered some unintelligible French and then seized Erik. Grabbed him in arms and hugged him hard, his hands pummeling and patting until they both landed with a not-so-loving smack on Erik’s ass.